This invention pertains to a family tree display and more specifically to a three dimensional display of a persons family tree.
In the past, there have been genealogical charts and organizers to track genealogical data and information. These charts become crowded or unbalanced when one couple has many children and require long lines onto other pages to connect to the next family member. They also do not allow the addition of in-laws and do not make good decorative displays or allow for photographs. These types of charts can be seen in U.S. Patents to: Daly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,680; Gray, U.S. Pat. No. 1,058,859; Guild, U.S. Pat. No. 699,799; and Griswold, U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,559. There are existing designs for wall plaques as seen in Pat. Nos. Des. D133,068; D148,388; D159,444; and D214,733. These wall plaques to not hold pictures, engravers names, or show family positions.
There are games to teach children about family relationships. In the game board shown in the U.S. Patents to Guertin, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,375,288 and 2,733,112, there is a picture of a tree with pictures of couples around the outside. It stands by itself but is a single two-dimensional piece. There are no family connections shown on the tree. The games teach how to investigate your heritage. The pictures are not of your own family.
There are family tree name plaques, as shown in the U.S. Patents to Berg U.S. Pat. No. D427,938 and Smith U.S. Pat. No. 265,643. The first of these is a wall hanging and does not show family relationships. The second contains small plaques for family members but not all relationships are shown. It cannot be expanded and neither patent contains pictures.
The three-dimensional doll house, shown in U.S. Patent to Gorczynski U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,422, shows family connections by hanging baskets from a branch and then splitting the branch into two branches with each holding baskets. There are dolls which can occupy the baskets. The pieces have a predetermined place so many relationships cannot be shown. Also, the dolls are not actual members of your own family. This patent can be used for teaching children about family relationships.
There are many styles of picture frames, as shown in U.S. Patents to Rosenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,195 and George, U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,716, none of which are close to the present invention. There is a kit of picture frames made up of leaves and hearts that connect to show many possible family relationships, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,374 to Boodram. This patent is primarily for displaying pictures in their position to the family and in the form of a real plant. It displays the pictures in family groups with marriages in a heart and children as the leaves, but it is difficult to show other relationships, like in-laws, divorces, children from other marriages or adoptions. This patent also deals with two-dimensional wall hangings and puts family groups in a flowerpot. It is not made to stand on its own and it does not contain the name or birthdate of the individuals pictured.
The genealogy chain in the U.S. Patent to Gee, U.S. Pat. No. 705,833 is similar but has no pictures and does not stand on its own. The family tree mobile, in the U.S. Patent to Davis, U.S. Pat. No. 1,297,663, can show many family relationships including birth, marriage and death. However, it does not display pictures of the person and is for hanging only.
Finally, there is the three-dimensional genealogical display, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,548 to Snyder, which stands like a set of shelves. This invention is capable of holding a great number of markers which represent family members. It can easily show in-laws and their ancestors. Each marker is connected to its parents and children. But, this invention does not show photos or birthdates of the family members and this invention must be of large enough size to make it useful. This invention is primarily used to show positions in the family for many generations and large families.
It is the object of the present invention to be able to show many different family relationships to an individual. Unlike prior inventions, this invention can show divorces, adoptions, foster parents, group homes, in-laws, and anything else which a family or group would like to show.
A three dimensional family tree display has a plurality of family member blocks with each block having a plurality of edges and having a family tree member identification thereon. Each block has a plurality of openings therein and at least one edge of each block has a connected portion for connecting one edge of one block to one edge of a second block. Each pair of edge connected blocks being illustrative of the spousal relationship with the family members on each of the pair of edge connected blocks. A plurality of connecting tubes or rods are each attached to one opening in each of a pair of blocks to thereby connect the two blocks. The rod connected blocks being illustrative of the parent child relationship of the connected blocks. A base supports a plurality of attached blocks so that a family tree is displayed in a three dimensional display. Each block can have a family name as well as photographs of the family member thereon. Each block edge connecting portion can be a tongue and groove connector for connecting two blocks together.